Wow, the move on Rangoon was quite a gambit. Daring, but if it works out, it will mean real trouble for FatR. I do have the impression he has been wasting some of his assets recently quite uncautiously -- I am think especially of those CAs and battlewagons in the NG/Solomons AO, or the supply convoys. The Milne-Bay fighting reminds too much of Guadalcanal, and that didn't go to well for the Japanese either. Too bad he isn't posting his side of things anymore.

Still following your AAR with excitement... keep it going and thumbs up!

Thanks, janh, Be advised the KB has arrived off Rangoon. The situation is in doubt. FatR has 9 IJA divisions in a level six fort at Mandalayand the Aussies are fatigued from the heavy fighting around Rangoon. Not sure I will be able to capture Rangoon now. Sometimes I realy feel the experience level of FatR. He decided to commit the KB to the bay of bengal while I invaded the marshalls. Makes me feel alittle nubish. I could have done the marshalls maybe a week after rangoon and kept FatR guessing.

Another battle is the coming move by the Br 14th army into Mandalay. FatR knows it is coming and I dropped 200 bombers on it last turn. I was reading a AAR by Nemo and he was challenged by a reader about the ability of the allies to take a level 6 fort w/ 120000 troops. Nemo said he used 500 dive bombers for one week to soften the hex for the ground attack. So I hope me 200 plane mix(w/ 100 b24s) will do the job.

What I am finding is not so much the losses although they are gravy .. but the loss of morale that DB's inflcit .... it seems day after day of being pounded and the troops get discouraged ..

Another battle is the coming move by the Br 14th army into Mandalay. FatR knows it is coming and I dropped 200 bombers on it last turn. I was reading a AAR by Nemo and he was challenged by a reader about the ability of the allies to take a level 6 fort w/ 120000 troops. Nemo said he used 500 dive bombers for one week to soften the hex for the ground attack. So I hope me 200 plane mix(w/ 100 b24s) will do the job.

What I am finding is not so much the losses although they are gravy .. but the loss of morale that DB's inflcit .... it seems day after day of being pounded and the troops get discouraged ..

I never expected as much from the PT boats operating south of Pegu. The Yamato TF was parked at Pegu last turn so I figured they would come out PT307 put a torp into the Musashi and separated her from the Yamato in shallow water just south of Rangoon. The Yamato TF was moving from pego to east of Rangoon to shield some transport TFs headed into Rangoon.

While from the east side of Rangoon the St Louis TF was given a Bombard mission to Rangoon at Full speed and ran into a IJN CL screen TF of SE Burma. What a fight. I had my search plane set to night recon search so no effect in daylight.

Then the St. Louis stayed on course and was headed to Rangoon....But the Yamato TF made the intercept!!! I suspect the Throw weight of the american CL had an effect in both battles. Going into this battle I was holding my breath figuring all my ships would get sunk.

The PT boat battle above off Pegu caused the Musashi to go home and forced the Yamato to split her fire against 2 CLs and one survived!!!!

BTW, the Decoy took 3 smaller hits then got hit by an 18 inch shell from the Yamato. Display said the superstructure was carried away w/ one hit.

So Rangoon has Resupply. And the KB is nipping at my ship and air strength !! I have alot of painful screen shots of escorted and unescorted DBs going after the CVs w/ 150 plane ftr CAP. Last turn I had about 5 damaged subs from heavy ASW, I did not think it was KB ASW Judies. Now I know better.

This naval air attacks did not show on the replay but is in the report. I sense a lack of experience from the TBF air crews.. The allies have a functional CV division operating off Sabang. Also I note the japs are able to send unlimited ground troops w/ the conquest of China. I cant cut off the head but I can cut off the tail. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on TF, near Victoria Point at 49,65

CAP engaged: 934 Ku S-1 with A6M8 Zero (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 11 scrambling) 0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 20000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes 954 Ku T-2 with A6M8 Zero (0 airborne, 2 on standby, 3 scrambling) 0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 11000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 24 minutes

The CV damage to hosho seems not to have caused sinking based on "no kates listed as destroyed on ground". As I lost 2 fletcher class DDs off gasmata on 12-29 a sub finished one Cl on the return to Rabaul.

43dec31: The KB seems to have posted itself off Rangoon, even w/ the threat of an allied CV TF operating off the coast of Sumatra. I would suspect some portion of his force has been sent to the south. In any event I found some large targets operating in the Georgetown area. If FatR pulls the KB from Rangoon allied air power will suppress the Rangoon forces..

Last turn I had a 50 ship landing force at Salamanica. I felt FatR could react from Rabaul w/ his Kowachi TF and I was uncomfortable leaving this large landing group w/in strike distance so I ordered a "stop unload" and did the old "side step" back to Milne bay. And FatR did sink some LCTs(barges) I was using in the area. But my main landing force w/LST/APA is ok--this turn.. We switched to one day turn and the Kowachi Group stayed in the day at Salamonica, he CAPed the hex and my Beaufort sqn did get mauled. I dont want to give out specifics but I did send "significant" reserve TFs to join the landing fleet. Now my landing fleet is sitting in the Lae bay between Kwachi and Rabaul.

Mission--DESTROY THE IJN Kowachi TF AT ALL COST and open naval surface access thru the Finchshaven gap.

This attack at Rangoon seems an abort. I suspect not all IJA divisions participated. I counted 1800ija av. Could be the 1st marine div is having an effect on the ground...what a massive unit...maybe I get a double also for being in a city hex. FatR may need to send in some CAs for bombardment. But if they do then I might be waiting down south W/ my CV TFs as they reload!!! I wish I had made my screenshot near the end of the battle.

What a battle! Congratulations on some good victories in the past few weeks and from fighting back from the position you received from me. I doubt however that the Musashi is sunk, seemingly every torpedoed ship is automatically put on the ships sunk list.

I think those guys in Rangoon should be OK, providing they have the supplies, they will get a large defensive bonus for being in Rangoon. How many guys have you got near Prome, and are they headed on a relief mission?

This is a list of sunk Jap Cruisers. So he still has alot of extra CAs. All IJN BBs have been seen at Rangoon except maybe the Kongo BBs, but I think they are operating inside the KB CV TF. Note 5 sunk Agano CLs...looks like IJN has 3 Tone class cruisers left. @ of these three are at Salmanuia w/ the Kowachi...

This is the TF FatR used to try to CAP trap me at Salamaua(and sat there in daylight), humm, I dont think these are Tone class CAs...Maybe more are at Rabaul...

One thing is for sure, we will have a naval battle around Lea Bay w/ the Kawachi before relief arrives from Rabaul. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Salamaua at 98,127, Range 20,000 Yards